Trolley switch and switching system



Oct.27, 1942. V s M TH Z,299',914-

TROILLEY SWITCH AND SWITCHING SYSTEM Filed Feb. 3, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Summer SAMG'EL SMAmms QctQZ7, 1942. s. s. M TTHES ,91

.TROLLEYVSWITCH AND SWITCHING SYSTEM Filed Feb. '3; 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SAMUEL S. Mavrzms Patented Oct. 27, 1942 TROLLEYISWITCH AND SWITCHING SYSTEM Samuel S. Matthes, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Brass Company,

corporation of New Jersey Application February 3, 1941, Serial No. 377,150

16 Claims.

My invention relates to trolley frogs and overhead trolley systems which operate to guide the current collector mounted on a trolley coach or upon a street car, along the main conductor or on to the branch conductor at a turn out point. There are many arrangements of frogs and switching systems for overhead trolley constructions. Some employ twoshunt coils of relatively fine wire which are a source of considerable trouble, especially if the vehicle stops with the current collector on the contact device.

Other arrangements use a shunt and series coil, this reduces thedifiiculty somewhat as the series coil is of relatively large wire and the. current is on the coil for only a very short period I.

of time.

Still other arrangements employ a series coil only for operating the frog in onedirection but it is not entirely satisfactory as it employs a spring to return the frog tonguetoits normal position when the coil is deenergized. In this arrangement it is necessary to maintain the coil energized until" the current collector has passed the tongue which is not always convenient.

In my invention and preferred construction, I employ the series wound coil which is practically free from damage due to overheating to move the tongue to one position at will of the Vehicle operator, and I employ a mechanically operated means to effect a return of the tongue to normal,

the tongue being yieldably held in each of its positions. Y

chanically operated mechanism and returned to its first position by electrically operated means One object of my invention is to provide a frog in which the frog tongue is moved to. one position through an electrically operated means and moved to another position through. mechanically operated means.

Another object of my invention is to provide a trolley frog including a movable tongue and mechanism for operating the tongue to either of two positions and also including electrical means to effect operation of the mechanism in one direction and mechanical means to effect operation of the mechanism in the other direction.

Another object of my invention is to provide a trolley frog in which the tongue is moved from one position to another position by electrically operated mechanism and returned to its first position by mechanical means cooperating with the electrically operated mechanism to efiect a i return operation of the said mechanism to its first position.

Still another object of my invention is to pro-- vide a trolley frog in which the tongue is moved from one position to another position by a mei cooperating with the, mechanically operated mechanism to effect a return operation of the mechanically operated mechanism to its first position. i

A still further object of my invention is to provide an overhead trolley system at a turn out point in which the movement of the tongue of the trolley frog for directing the travel of the current collector mounted on the coach either along the main conductor or on to the branch conductor is under control of the operator of the coach in approaching the frog but the tongue is returnable to a predeterminedposition independent of the coach operator after the current collector passes the tongue.

A still further object of, my invention is to provide a trolley frog anda switching system which is adapted to be used either with the single or the double overhead trolley system.

Another object of my invention includes a trolley frog which is provided with a mechanical reset for the tongue and to be operated by the.

current collector after the current collector has passed the tongue.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description which follows and the drawings accompanying this specification.

My invention resides in the new and novel construction, combination and relation of the parts herein described and shown in the accom panying. drawings.

In the drawings: 1

Fig. 1 shows schematically one form of my invention with reference to a single overhead trolley system having one side grounded as is the case where a street caror other vehicle is operated on a grounded track and showsthe normal or predetermined setting of the frog tongue prior to a change by the operator on an approaching coach. a

Fig. 2 shows schematically my invention as covered by Fig. 1 but in which the operator of the coach has set the frog tongue to the turn out position to guide the current collector on to the branch conductor.

Fig. 3 shows schematically another form of my invention as relating to a double overhead trolley system in which the coach is provided with two current collectors and the system is ungrounded; the tongues are set to the predetermined or normal position as in Fig. 1 and the movement of the tongue is under control of the operator in approaching the frogs as in the case of Figs, 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 shows schematically my improved trolley frog as applied to a double conductor system in which the positioning of the tongues depend upon the direction of travel of the coach as it approaches the frogs. The tongues are shown in their normal or predetermined positions.

Fig. 5 is a lower face view of the frog pan and tongue; the operating mechanism for the tongue is shown schematically in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive and is mounted on the top side of the frog pan.

Fig. 6 is a side View of the frog pan shown in Fi 1.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View on Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 shows in detail the holding means which I employ for maintaining the tongue in either of its two positions after operation thereto.

My invention covers what is known as a resetting switch in which the tongue is returned to its normal or predetermined position and which position may be either to guide the current collectors straight through or on to the branch conductor.

In the following description and in the drawings, the like parts are referred to by like numerals.

Inthe embodiment of my invention as disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2, I provide a frog comprising a pan I and a tongue 2 shown as having a pair of guides 3 and 3'. The tongue is pivoted at 4 and a pin 5 (Figs. 5 and 6) projects through the pan and. is fixed to the tongue 2 to pivot therewith. The pan is provided with arms 6, 6 and I to which are secured the main conductor 8 and the branch conductor 9 as shown in Fig. 1.

The operating mechanism is preferably mounted on the upper and outer face of the pan and comprises a reciprocating armature III. A lever I I is fixed to the pin 5 and pivotally attached to one end of the armature III. A lever I2 is pivoted to the cross member I3 at I4 and tothe armature Ill. Fixed to the lever I2 adjacent the member I3 is a latch I5 arranged to normally take the position shown in Fig. l but which also has a position shown in Fig. 2 in which it is engaged by a current collector and thereby moved to the normal position shown in Fig. 1.

When the latch I5 is moved by a current collector from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1, the lever I2 is also moved about its pivot I4 and thus moves the opposite end of the lever I2 from that shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1 and simultaneously the armature I is moved to the left and the lever II and pin pivot at 4 and since the pin 5 is fixed to the tongue 2, the tongue is moved to the position shown in Fig. 1.

In order to move the tongue to its position shown in Fig. 2, a coil I6 surrounds the armature II! whereby the armature and levers I I and I2 and also the tongue are moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 when the coil I6 is energized.

To bring about the energization of the coil IS, I insert in the main conductor 8 at 9, point in advance of the frog the contact device which comprises a contact member I'I insulated from or out of contact with the conductor and arranged to be engaged by the passing current collector. The adjacent ends of the trolley wire 8 are connected by a jumper I8 to maintain the electrical continuity of the conductor 8.

The coil I5 is electrically connected to the contact member I1 and to the conductors 8 and 9 the line 1-1 of at I9 since the pan I is of the same polarity as the conductors. In a single conductor system the conductor is usually positive and the ground or track negative.

As the car or coach approaches the frog of Fig. l and if the operator wishes to take the branch conductor 9, he moves his controller S to the on position and when the current collector engages the contact member I'I current will flow from the pan I through the conductor 20, coil I6 and conductor 2|, contact member I'I, collector X, controller S, motor M to ground G, thus energizing the coil I6 and operating the mechanism to move the tongue to the turn-out position as in Fig. 2.

When the collector X engages the latch I5 and operates the same the operating mechanism will be returned to its normal or predetermined position'shown in Fig. 1.

If the coach operator wishes to go straight through the frog, he will approach the same with the controller S in the off position (Fig. 1), therefore, no current will I6 when the collector X engages as the circuit will be open at S. v

If desired, the normal or predetermined positionof the tongue 2 may be made that shown in Fig. 2 in which case the latch I5 will be placed adjacent the arm 6' so as to be engaged by the current collector and return the tongue to its normal position after the collector X has passed straight through the frog.

In order to maintain the tongue in the position to which it has been moved by either the electrical or mechanical operation thereof, I employ a pivoted latch member 22 which engages the beveled end faces of the member 22 which is associated with and operated by the operating mechanism which moves the tongue as schematically shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and more in detail in Fig. 8. The spring 23 yieldingly holds the latch 22 in its retaining position with respect to the lever arm II. The roller 22" engaging with the sloping face of the arm 22 permits of an easier movement of the lever arm II to either of its positions without detracting from its retaining function.

In Fig. 3 I have shown another embodiment of my invention in which the frogs as described above are made use of in a system employing two main and two branch conductors 8 and 8, and 9 and 9, respectively, as required in case of trolley coaches employing a pair of current collectors; the overhead system being ungrounded.

The construction and operation of the frogs shown in Fig. 3 are the same as for the frog shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and described above.

The arrangements shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 employing one or more trolley frogs and including the contact device and trolley conductors constitute what is generally termed as an overhead trolley switching system. In Figs. 3 and 4 the frogs are held in spaced and insulated relation by the insulators 24.

In Fig. 4 is shown another embodiment of my invention employing a pair of frogs mounted in a two condutor system at a turn out point. In this system the general construction and operation of the frogs are the same as described for the frogs in Figs. 1 and 2, but the control of the operating mechanism prior to the current collector entering the frogs is different from that in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and does not involve the use of the controller S.

All trolley switching systems showing the energization of the operating mechanism as the the contact I'I flow through the coil coach approaches the frogs is under the control of thev coach operator but in the system shown in Fig. 4, the operator directs the travel of his coach in the direction he wishes to take at the turn out 'point.

If the operator desires to go straight through, the coachwl'll travel parallel to the main trolley conductor and the current collectors Y and Z will engage the contact devices 25 and 25' in sequence since the adjacent ends of the contact devices 25 and 25. are spaced as shown at A as they will travel opposite each otherin a line at right angles to the trolley conductors.

If the operator desires to take the branch condu'ctors 9 and 9', he will angle the coach to travel obliquely to the main trolley conductors suflicient to make the turn in which case both contact devices will be in engagement at the same time with the. collectors Y and Z as shown in Fig. 4. The coils 2B are so connected to the contact devices through the conductors 20 and 2| that they will be energized only when both contact devices are in engagement at one time with the collectors Y and Z.

The contact devices 25 and 25' are so constructed and arranged with respect to the trolley conductors that they are energized when engaged by the current collectors. The coils 26 are each connected to both contact devices and are so wound as to conform to the voltage across the conductors. and, therefore; the coils are wound with relatively fine wire and of relatively high resistance.

In the case of thecoils It used in the frogs in Figs. 1, 2' and 3, the coils are wound to withstand a heavy current regardless of the voltage.

While the system shown in Fig. 4 employs one shunt coil 26 to each frog, and such coils are subject to overheating, still the arrangement is an improvement over asystem employing two shunt coils per frog.

The specific construction and arrangements herein shown and. described are subject to modifications by those skilled in the art and there fore I wish to be limited only by my claims.

I claim:

1. An overhead trolley frog comprising in combination, a pan, a tongue movably mounted on the pan to guide a passing current collector on a vehicle in either of two directions, means on the pan to attach overhead conductors thereto, electrically operated mechanism including a coil to actuate the tongue to one position when the coil is energized, and mechanical means to return the electrically operated. mechanism to its prior position when the mechanical means is engaged by the current collector.

2. An overhead trolleyfrogcomprising in combination, a pan, a tongue movably mounted on the pan to guide a passing current collector on a vehicle in either of two directions, means on the pan to attach overhead conductors thereto, mechanically operated mechanism including means to be engaged by the current collector to actuate the tongue to one position when the said means is engaged by the current collector and electrical means comprising a coil to move the mechanically operated mechanism to the other position when the coil is energized.

3. A trolley frog comprising a pan, a tongue mounted on the pan and movable to two positions to guide a current collector in either of two directions, mechanism for operating the tongue to either of its two positions and for retaining the tongue in: eachv position,electrical means including a coil for actuating the :mechani'sm to operate the tongue to one position when the coil is energized and mechanical means arranged to be engaged by the current collector to actuate the mechanism to move the tongue to its other position.

4. An overhead trolley frog comprising in combination, a pan, a tongue movably mounted on the pan to guide a current collector mounted on a passing vehicle along either of two paths, means on the pan to attach overhead conductors thereto, operating mechanism mounted on the pan to move the tongue to its opposite positions and including electrically energizable means to actuate the mechanism to move the tongue to one position and means enga'geable by the current collector to mechanically actuate the mechanism to move the tongue to its other position when said engagement occurs.

5. In a trolley frog for an overhead trolley system, in combination, a pan, a tongue movable to two positions mounted on the pan to guide 7 a current collector, electro-mechanical mechanism for actuating the tongue to either of its positions, mechanical means engageable by the current collector to actuate the mechanism to move the tongueto one position, electrical means including a coil for actuating the mechanism to move the tongue to its other positionand means operable by the mechanism to retain the tongue in either position.

6. A trolley frog for an overhead trolley system, comprising in combination, a pan, a tongue movable to two positions mounted on the pan to guide a current collector, a mechanism for operating the tongue to either of its positions, electrical means arranged when energized to operate the mechanism to move the tongueto one position, and mechanical means arranged when engaged by the current collector to operate the mechanism to move the tongue to the other position.

7. A trolley switch for an overhead trolley system, comprising in combination, a pan member, a tongue mounted on the pan and movable to two opposite positions to guide a current collector' on a vehicle, means for attaching the pan to overhead conductors, operating mechanism mounted on the pan and comprising a movable member, a lever pivotally attached thereto and fixedly attached to the tongue whereby a movement of said memberin either of two directions will actuate the tongue to either of its two positions, a coil associated with the said movable member to move the member in one direction when the coil is energized, a lever pivotally attached' to said movable member and fixedly at tachedto a pivotally mounted contact member arranged to move the said movable member in the other direction when the said contact member is engaged by the passing currentcollector.

8. In an overhead switching system for a current collector on a vehicle, the combination of a main conductor and a branch conductor, a trolley frog including a movabletongue to guide acurrent collector located at thejunction of theconductors, operating mechanism for moving the tongue to its two positions, electrical means to actuate the operating mechanism in one direction and mechanical means operated by the current collector toactuate the operating mechanism in the other. direction, a contact device associated withthe main conductor, means electrically connecting the electrical means to the conductors and to the contactdevice whereby the energization of the electrical means may be efiected at will of the vehicle operator when the contact device is engaged by the current collector on the vehicle, and means actuated by the operating mechanism to retain the tongue in either position to which it is moved.

9. In an overhead switching system for a current collector mounted on a vehicle provided with a motor controller, in combination, a main conductor and a branch conductor therefor, a trolley frog positioned at the junction of the conductors, the frog provided with a pan having means to attach the conductors thereto, a movable tongue mounted on the pan to guide the current collector along the main conductor or on to the branch conductor, operating mechanism mounted on the pan to actuate the tongue to its opposite position, a contact member associated with the main conductor at a point in advance of the frog and arranged to be engaged and energized by the current collector, an operating coil for the mechanism to actuate it to one position to move the tongue to one of its positions when the coil is energized, the coil being electrically connected to one of the conductors and to the contact member whereby the coil will be energized if the operator of the vehicle'moves his controller to power-on when the current collector engages the contact member, and means associated with the operating mechanism arranged to be engaged by the current collector to mechanically actuate the operating mechanism to its other position and move the tongue to its other position.

10. A switching system for a pair of current collectors mounted on a vehicle comprising in combination a pair of main trolley wires of opposite polarity, a branch wire from each of the main trolley wires, a frog at the junction of each main and branch wire, each frog provided with a movable tongue to guide the current collectors either along the main wires or on to the branch wires, electrically and mechanically operated mechanism to actuate the tongues, each main wire provided with a contact device so arranged and connected that the mechanism will be electrically actuated and the tongues moved from a predetermined position only when both contact devices are in engagement at the same time with their respective collectors, means associated mechanism to mechanically actuate the same when engaged by the current collectors after having passed their respective tongues to return the tongues to their predetermined position.

11'. In as Witching system for a pair of current collectors mounted on a vehicle, in combination, a pair of main conductors, a branch conductor for each main conductor, a trolley frog at the junction of each main and branch conductor, each frog provided with a movable tongue to guide the current collectorsalong the main conductors or on to the branch conductors, operating mechanism to move the tongues to either position, electrical means to actuate the mechanism to move the tongues to one position when is energized, a contact device associated with each main conductor on the approach side of the frogs to be energized when engaged by the current collectors, the said electrical means being connected to the contactdevices, the contact devices being so constructed and arranged longitudinally of the main conductor and so related to each other that the said electrical means will be energized to move the said tongues in one direction only when the current collectors are in a predetermined powith each the said means sition longitudinally of the-main conductors relative to one another and to the contact devices as the current collectors pass the contact devices, said longitudinal position of the current collectors varying with the angularity of the trolley bus with respect to the main conductors, and mechanical means arranged when engaged by the current collectors to return the tongues to their prior position.

12. In a switching system for current collecting means mounted on a vehicle, in combination, a pair of main trolley conductors and a branch conductor for each main conductor, a trolley frog positioned at the junction of each main and branch conductors, each frog provided with a movable tongue to guide the current collectors, an electrically and mechanically operated mechanism for each frog to move its tongue to' one position when the mechanism is energized and to move the tongue to its other position when the mechanism is engaged and operated by the passing current collecting means, and a plurality of contact means associated with the main conductors to be energized by the passing current collecting means, the said mechanism being electrically connected to said contact means and energized when a plurality of the said contact means are in engagement with the current collecting means at the same time, the last said contact means being so arranged longitudinally relative to each other and to the trolley conductors as to be in engagement with the current collecting means at the same time when the direction of travel of the vehicle is in a predetermined direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the trolley conductors.

13. An overhead switching system for a current operated vehicle comprising a pair of overhead main conductors, a branch conductor for each main conductor, a trolley frog positioned at the junction of each main and branch conductors, each frog provided with a movable tongue to guide the current collecting means on the vehicle in either of two directions, electrically and mechanically operated mechanism for each frog to move the tongue to one position when the mechanism is electrically energized and to move the tongue to its other position when the mechanism is engaged and operated by the passing current collecting means, and means associated with the overhead system in advance of the frogs, arranged to be engaged by current collecting means on a passing vehicle whereby the mechanism may be selectively energized by the vehicle operator at will.

14. An overhead trolley frog comprising in combination, a pan, a tongue movably mounted on the pan to guide a current collector mounted on a vehicle along either of two paths, means to attach overhead trolley conductors to the pan, operating mechanism arranged to move the tongue to its operative positions, energizab-le electrical means to actuate the mechanism to move the tongue to one of its said operative positions when the electrical means is engaged by the current collector while approaching the frog and mechanical means to actuate the mechanism to move the tongue to its other operative position when the mechanical means is engaged and actuated by the current collector on the moving vehicle after passing the tongue and latching means to yieldingly retain the mechanism in either of its operative positions.

15. A trolley frog for an overhead trolley system, comprising in combination, a pan, means to secure trolley conductors 'to the pan, a tongue is engaged and energized by the current collector.

16. An overhead trolley switching device for a two-wire, two-collector system comprising, a member defining a current collector path intersection area and having a pair of fixed current collector guideways at one side of and extending to and from said area and having a third fixed collector guideway at a substantially opposite side of and extending to and from said area, said pair of guideways converging toward and diverging from said area and making a substantially acute angle with each other adjacent to said area, means providing a movable guideway movably associated with said member and adapt- 5 ed to form a collector guiding route path connecting said third guideway with either of said pair of guideways, electrically operable means including a normally open circuit between the two wires of the system for effecting movement of said movable guideway to a position connecting said third guideway with one of said pair of guideways to form one collector-route path, contact means in said circuit and disposed in the paths of and engageable by the current collectors of a vehicle as they approach the intersection, said contact means being disposed for simultaneous or alternate engagement by the said current collectors depending upon the vehicle route path, simultaneous engagement of said contacts being efiective to energize said circult to operate said electrically operable means, and lever means in the path of and wedgingly engageable by a collector travelling along a route path including one of said fixed guideways for moving said movable guideway to a position forming a route path between said third guideway and the other of said pair of guideways, said lever means being set in the collector path by operation of said electrically operable means.

SAMUEL S. MATTI-IES. 

